Innovation

The see and spray ultimate system was designed with the intention of reducing harmful chemicals sprayed onto crops that are used for human consumption. This new technology uses a camera to spot weeds growing near crops and spray just the right amount to kill the weeds without making contact or harming the crop. This not only makes for safer consumption, but also saves the farmer money they would otherwise have spent on more chemicals. Mr. Chiasson informed us that this is reducing chemical usage by as much as 70%.

The John Deere cloud management system, named JDLink, was designed to give an aerial view of the tract of land being harvested. It will also show where other equipment operators are at and track what has been harvested already while showing what is yet to be harvested. This helps farmers better track where they are in relation to other operators, keep track of property lines, and save the farmer time from carrying maps.

The Tier 4 engine was designed to not only meet emissions standards sanctioned by the government, but provide a more efficient, more powerful engine for operators. The engine uses DEF fluid in order to produce cleaner CO2 emissions. By reducing on carbon emissions, the environment can be better sustained, while also giving farmers more value for their dollar.

Inspiration

One of John Deere’s core values is Innovation. In our interview, it was mentioned that John Deere did not seek to keep up with anyone, but rather to beat the competition to the next step. They seek to provide value to their customers and create a new edge simultaneously, which has led to most of their innovations.

Just like with the See and Spray technology, they seek to turn profits while providing innovative products and saving the farmer money. In the words of Mr. Chiasson, “These booms are only spraying the weeds, so you’re saving on the chemicals. And obviously, anytime you can reduce the amount of chemicals you’re putting into the field, you’re helping the environment.” This innovation has recently won awards for its ability to sustain the environment, as well as save farmers money. In a time like now with high inflation, saving the farmer’s money is an important factor in keeping them in business.

John Deere’s Tier 4 engine is another example of beating the competition to the next step in innovation. When the government enforced stricter emission standards, they wasted no time in producing an engine that was cleaner by the use of DEF fluid, but also even more powerful than their Tier 3 engine. John Deere has continuously shown that they do not fear competition because they are leading innovators.

Overall impact

John Deere’s sustainable efforts have had, both, significant long and short-term impacts on the environment as well as the efficiency of how farmers do their day-to-day work. For example, a short term effect of The See & Spray makes it easy and quick for farmers to spray weeds that are overtaking their crops by allowing them to spray double the surface area with their dual-tank configuration. This allows for farmers to get the job done in half the time, which also saves them money by reducing operating costs in the long run.

As far as sustainability goes, The See & Spray only targets weeds rather than spraying the crops with harmful herbicides as well. It is imperative to note that only spraying what is intended to be sprayed minimizes the amount of chemicals being released into the environment and crops which, in turn, reduces non-residual herbicide use by more than two-thirds (John Deere, n.d.). This is a notable long-term impact as herbicides are harmful to humans when consumed. By reducing the amount of herbicides that get sprayed onto crops, the consumption of these chemicals would decrease thus fostering long-term health benefits in our communities.

Business benefit

The number of produced equipment increases when new innovations are created. So, due to the creation of the See & Spray, more factory workers are needed in order to keep up with the production of this new product. Innovations such as the See & Spray also increase the amount of revenue John Deere brings in every year. The See & Spray alone sells for roughly $25,000.

The See & Spray also allows for John Deere employees to contribute to a product that reduces bad herbicide use by more than two-thirds. A decrease in herbicide use cultivates a farm of healthier crops that are less susceptible to high levels of intense sprays. Less herbicides being sprayed into the air gears John Deere towards being a more environment friendly company than before.

Social and environmental benefit

The innovations that John Deere has managed to produce, greatly benefit not only the environment, but also society as a whole. John Deere produced many innovations, most recently the See & Spray Ultimate, the John Deere Cloud Management System. They also produced Exact Shot and the “battery-electric backhoe” (Birch, 2024). These numerous innovations have all managed to affect society and the environment positively.

The first innovation talked about was the See & Spray Ultimate. It is an extremely intelligent technology that is able to make “complex decisions within the blink of an eye” on John Deere machines when spraying herbicides (Birch, 2024). According to Birch, this innovation alone has managed to reduce the use of herbicides by two-thirds. The next innovation is the John Deere Cloud Management System. This system has allowed farmers to efficiently map out and check data about their field. Farmers can also check log and share this information to receive feedback (Birch, 2024). This innovation not only helps the environment because it allows farmers to check insights about their field but also help society by giving the farmer an easier way to care for their livelihood.

The next innovation is Exact Shot. According to Birch, this product uses sensors to release more precise amounts of fertilizer when planting crops. This product is predicted to save “corn farmers over 93 million gallons of fertilizer” and decrease the effects of run-off in the nearby water supply (Birch, 2024). This last product is the battery electric backhoe. The backhoe has greatly reduced tailpipe emissions. Ultimately, these four innovations will help the environment by reducing the amount of harmful chemicals released, but also help society as a whole by making jobs easier and creating more efficient solutions to doing them.

Interview

Jacob Chaisson, Quality Engineer